Five KZN teens swept to sea

Five school pupils were swept out to sea at Port Edward on Thursday when they decided to take a swim after rugby practice, the National Sea Rescue Institute said.

 

A local fisherman said five children, aged 13 and 14, had been caught by rip-currents at Grannies Pool, one kilometre south of Port Edward's main beach, spokesman Craig Lambinon said. "It appears that a group of young school rugby players had gone to the beach to swim, from The Woods School, Port Edward, when three were swept out to sea by rip-currents and a further two went into the surf to try to assist them but they got into difficulties themselves."

 

A local man rescued one of the boys and one of the teenagers managed to rescue one of his schoolmates. The other three also made it out of the water. Two of the five boys were taken to a nearby hospital. One had suffered near-drowning symptoms and one had sustained serious leg and knee lacerations and bruising, Lambinon said. The other three were not injured. Lambinon said he suspected sea conditions were rough because of the full moon spring tide.

 

"Spring tide peaks with today's [Thursday] full moon, causing stronger than normal rip-currents, a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide. This spring tide effect on the ocean will continue until after the weekend and the public are urged to exercise caution around the coast."

 

- Sapa